# Puff Monthly Tobacco Review: Dunhill's Royal Yacht



## Nick S. (Jul 10, 2011)

January is here, so here is the official review thread for January's tobacco, Royal Yacht. Once you have smoked some and are ready to post your review (even if it is only a few thoughts) please do so in this thread.


----------



## Nachman (Oct 16, 2010)

Royal Yacht is one of those tobaccos that is very different in different pipes. It tastes more complex and a little sweet in a pipe with a narrow bow, and best of all in a narrow bowl that is tapered, like a Dublin. In a pipe with a wide bowl it is more plain and sometimes ashy. It is a strong and honest Virginia tobacco with what I believe is a touch of rum casing to smooth it out. This is not a sweet Virginia, but a dark well aged one. The nicotine content is quite high but not obvious from the taste. I had a friend who smoked cigarettes and claimed he couldn't get enough nicotine from pipe tobacco. I gave him a bowl of RY and about half way through he got the hiccups and started feeling sick. RY is for people who have built up a tolerance, much like St Bruno and Irish Flake.


----------



## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

Thanks for the review, Nick! I tend to smoke RY in my smaller pipes as well, right now with the Sasieni Mayfair working its magic. Royal Yacht is a superior smoke with plenty of nicotine to keep the low nicotine warning lights green. I think it has a little burley in it, but it still tastes like mostly dark Virginias. (Maybe it's the burley that keeps it from burning hot, which it never to does.) It seems a little drier smoke than some of the other Dunhills, which is a plus all the way for me, and never bites. The new Royal Yacht is exactly as I remember it, although that isn't saying a lot since it's been so many years between when I smoked the old line and now. 

All in all, I think Royal Yacht might should be the "go to recommendation" for new pipe smokers from the cigar side, since it is neither cigarry in the least nor lacking in tobacco "substance" or nicotine punch. I rate it one of the tastiest tobaccos around, absolutely first rate; I can see how Nick and Georges Simenon could get hooked on it. The room note is not attractive, however -- don't expect compliments! :lol:


----------



## Briars&Havanas (Jan 5, 2012)

This is one that I have been wanting to try. Seems like a of people really like this one. Who has the best price on this tobbaco online?


----------



## Nachman (Oct 16, 2010)

Briars&Havanas said:


> This is one that I have been wanting to try. Seems like a of people really like this one. Who has the best price on this tobbaco online?


Lil Brown Smoke Shack has it for 9.95 and they have free shipping on all on line orders for the month of January. They also have good prices on their other stuff eg. BJ Long tapered pipe cleaner 100ct are only $1.20.


----------



## TommyTree (Jan 7, 2012)

Royal Yacht is one of those Virginias that a lot of people seem to really hate. I found it light and sweet but not terribly complex. I actually liked it okay and would smoke it again, but I think it could be too thin for a lot of regular Virginia smokers.


----------



## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

Nachman said:


> Lil Brown Smoke Shack has it for 9.95 and they have free shipping on all on line orders for the month of January. They also have good prices on their other stuff eg. BJ Long tapered pipe cleaner 100ct are only $1.20.


Great info on the free shipping, Nick. Hopefully they have regular PCs -- I hate tapered PCs.


----------



## gahdzila (Apr 29, 2010)

Great reviews so far, gentlemen! Here's my take:

I popped a tin of Royal Yacht a few days ago. It's been in my cellar for about 3 months. This is my second tin of it. I really liked the first tin I smoked, but I kept passing it up, trying new stuff. I've had a hunger for it lately, so I'm glad it's our tobacco of the month, as it gave me a great excuse to smoke some!

Mine was the perfect moisture level right out of the tin. I've smoked it in cobs, clays and briars. It's great in a cob....good in a clay, but the flavor seemed a bit muted...it shines best in a briar, IMO. It's hard to pin a label on Royal Yacht...it's Virginia, but it tastes to me like it has a good bit of flavoring added. Aro? Not like any other aro I've tried. The flavors I get are raisins, figs, and dates. Not those flavors all mixed up...the flavor subtlely transitions from one to the other and back and forth as I smoke it. Fig/date/raisin is definitely the dominant flavor throughout the bowl for me, but it's not overpowering or cloying at all. Just the right amount. Subtle sweetness, but I wouldn't call it a sweet blend. I personally don't find the level of nicotine overwhelming...it's definitely got a good nic hit, but I'd put it below other nic powerhouses like Irish Flake and Brown Bogie. Great body, mouthfeel and smoke volume, and burns great for me.

Verdict - I've already stocked another tin! Fantastic stuff.


----------



## gahdzila (Apr 29, 2010)

freestoke said:


> All in all, I think Royal Yacht might should be the "go to recommendation" for new pipe smokers from the cigar side, since it is neither cigarry in the least nor lacking in tobacco "substance" or nicotine punch.


Very good point, I agree. It doesnt taste cigarry, but its flavors are actually reminiscent (to me, anyway) of Arturo Fuente Anejos....which just happen to be one of my favorite cigars :smoke2:


----------



## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

The topping is black currant.


----------



## Briars&Havanas (Jan 5, 2012)

Just ordered a tin of this from the lilbrownsmokeshop. $9.95 with free shipping! Can't wait to get this in hand and try it in the, new to me, James Upshall I got in the mail today!


----------



## Briars&Havanas (Jan 5, 2012)

Ok, so I got my tin of this in yesterday and immediately popped it open. My first impression of the aroma, reminded my of cut hay. But I have to say after lighting it up I enjoyed the smoke. The moisture level for me was perfect right out of the tin, only needed relighting once after dumping the ashes half way down the bowl. I've smoked a few other VA's and this one was not as sweet but I did enjoy the flavor and could tell there was a slight casing that added to the tobacco's natural flavor. I could tell there was quite a bit of nicotine in there but it wasn't like smoking a Oliva Cain. I am going to have to try this in a smaller pipe per nachman's recommendation.


----------



## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

Glad you gave it a go, Chris! :tu I'm down to a two cans and probably about to pop one of 'em in the next day or two. My pipe cleaner supply is hazardously low, so the order of lading will include RY on the way to free shipping. I will admit to not caring so much for RY forty or fifty years ago, preferring Latakia blends like Sobranie Original Mixture, Nightcap and such. After all but three of my pipes were stolen from my car during a move, I stopped smoking a pipe for 20 years, only occasionally firing one of the remaining up. On my return to the pipe, I discovered what I'd been missing.


----------

